Loud, over priced, friendly staff but not helpful. When asked about Headway Lager, the response was, "It's a Lager". Halibut was overcooked and dry. Salmon was excellent, Burger was enough for 4 people but too rare for my liking. I had the Lamb pot pie... oblong lamb meatballs in a rich tomato sauce with a pita cover, good but not $$$$fine dining. Parking is a mystery unless you have researched ahead of time and know to park in the train station garage which will be comped. Swanky atmosphere. read more

What happens when you mix an overhyped restaurant with good, but not exceptional, food and arrogant gen z kids at the front who don't seem bothered by the fact that you made a reservation which has not been honored for over 30 minutes? You have Esh. I've gone here 4 times since it opened. The 30 minute wait means this will be my last. And, to the manager who told me that this happens all the time in NYC, no it doesn't. A restaurant that thrives on dinner reservations for guests with important business companions does not make them wait 30 minutes. It at leasts would offer them the option of starting at the bar and continuing in the main dining room. That's the way it's done in NYC, London and even New Delhi. (And, the restaurant is in Fairfield, btw) The actual wait staff in the dining room is exceptional, each and every time. The food delivery time in the dining room (not the bar) is consistently timely if not fast. And, the food can be pretty good, which obviously is the draw. Sea Bass is spicy and flavorful. The lamb is tender and inviting. The shwarma is mediocre and overdone. The hummus is fine, but, it's not Tel Aviv, sorry. And, the flatbread, well, it's flatbread, not pita, and it's not much better than freezer bread that you put on your grill. Feel free to go once and try it out. But, expect to be treated poorly at the entrance desk despite the NYC prices. read more

Very good restaurant for special occasions. Too pricey to be a regular thing, but that's ok. Very nice addition to Fairfield. Great vibe and service. Food is pretty on point. I definitely enjoyed the ribeye shawarma! An area for improvement: we went for the third or fourth time the other day to bring my uncle out for a nice dinner. He had never been to Esh and we were excited to show him. He was sooo hungry and the menu is long and unique, so wanted him to have the opportunity to get through it but also order some dips and bread while we did that. We were not allowed to put the dips in before the rest of the order, which created the feeling of being rushed to get our order in. I understand the drive to not stage orders - complicates things for the kitchen, people fill up and order less, etc. But at a place like this where we want to sample the menu and order a lot of stuff thoughtfully, being able to put some dips on the table as we sort through the options feels like a totally reasonable thing that would make it a more positive experience for all (especially if one of your guests is hangry). And especially for the price. In fact, it should be a standard for the server to ask if they can bring out some drinks and / or any dips to the table as a starting point.... read more

Awesome in every respect. Beautiful setting with a distinctly non-CT vibe (more like a Manhattan restaurant). Terrific service - special shout out to Gino. And now for the food - virtually flawless. Mezzes and apps were excellent - especially the blistered shishitos, salad, whole cauliflower and hummus/tahini. The bread was the best I have had in amy Middle Eastern restaurant. I had an Esh Margarita - terrific. For entrees, our group ordered a roasted lamb neck special and a NY Strip entree. Steak was excellent - lamb special was the only "A-" of the night as it was a little fatty. Desserts were excellent - some kind of sundae and a creamy chocolate and praline dish. I have been to a number of the Solomonov restaurants and Esh is at that level. read more

Very cool new spot that is much needed on the other side of fairfield away from the "downtown" center. The decor and bar is nice and I love the community table you can choose to sit at. I sat at the bar and the bartender was so sweet and attentive. We ordered the octopus since I always have to try it when I see it on a menu. It was good but not my favorite. Has a little muchyness to it maybe overcooked? The potatoes it came with were OK and I like the touches of yogurt they dolloped on. The eggplant garlic dip was fabulous! The bread they serve with the dips is absolutely to die for. So fluffy and delicious. I am absolutely coming back for the bread and to try the hummus next time. ($7 is an awesome price for the dips with bread-great portion) They have a very interesting menu and I am curious to try a flatbread and a main dish next time. read more

Esh Mediterranean - Eggplant and garlic dip with this fabulous bread - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

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As long as you don't mind a noisy restaurant, this place is fantastic. Food is delicious and creatively executed. Service is very good. Portions are generous. I've been back several times. read more

Awesome food and great modern feel! Blew past all my expectations. Would definitely go back again hands down. read more

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Food***** Service ***** Ambiance***** Great "dining experience" Everything was well seasoned and perfectly executed We could not get a reservation and finally got on the same day with my wife's persistence on open table. The chef has a proven track record and it is quite apparent.....rock star execution!! read more

Esh Mediterranean - Reviewers - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

Esh raises the bar for Fairfield. The ambience and design are superb- more like Manhattan. The service was off the charts GREAT. Our water was always full, the dishes, silverware, and table were cleaned after each course, and our waiter was a total pro. He knew each dish, and his recommendations were excellent. Finally, the food came out hot ( when it was supposed to be) and was a fresh and flavorful combination of unique spices, textures, and flavors. Overall a fantastic dining experience. read more

Esh Mediterranean - Grilled Branzino - Middle Eastern Near Me - Fairfield, Connecticut

as a chef for over thirty years this was one of my best dining experiences in forever ! the space had a chic manhattan vibe to it without the pretentious attitude, the food was creative , presented well and above all else delicious ! Staff from management on down to the hostess validating parking couldn't have been more enjoyable , in the Fairfield restaurant scene where let's be honest it is all carbon copies with little to no imagination , thank you for a great dining experience, Chef Joe read more

-Incredible food! -Impeccable service (shout out to our server Nicole)! -Beautiful ambience We can't wait to go back!! read more

This place has a lot of potential but they are too greedy with the price. If you order the dips like hummus, etc. they only give you this small flat bread that is definitely way too small to finish the dips with. So if you order another piece of bread, they charge you $9 for a piece of bread. I literally spent over $200 on dinner for two people and they are charging $9 for a piece of bread. I would be going back here 4-6 times per year but now I'll never go back. I feel too ripped off. read more

Absolutely delicious. Amazing decor. Waist staff is on point! Get the steak skewer and the burger!!

I am truly confused about the ratings of this restaurant. I was so excited to try it and all I can say now is "been there done that". We got as appetizer falafel and it was nothing special and seems pretty industrially made, but the real disappointment was the entree. One of the entrees at the table was the halibut. Was it halibut? Who knows? It was buried in a heavy tomato sauce completely dominating the flavor. The sauce had cream in it and for a restaurant with the "Mediterranean" in the name it is a sin. The allegedly halibut was on "homemade" potato gnocchi. Oh boy... homemade gnocchi melt in your mouth and these were so hard that I could not cut them with the fork. All these for incredibly high prices: the halibut was $48! The other entree was the branzino. It was not bad, very simple and a little more authentic in flavor but not worth the other $48. I see a lot of pictures of small plates and desserts, maybe that is their strength and you can stretch your money and eat more things but going there for an entree was a total waste of money. read more

The food is sublime! I've been three times. I take my NYC friends there. Having been in the restaurant business, here and abroad for many years, and being a native NYer, I'm a bit jaded. I could dine there every night! Service is outstanding. Ambiance is not like any other place in Fairfield. Definitely 5 stars read more

Amazing food, very modern and stylish inside. Service was excellent as well. The food came out fresh and hot (where applicable). I had the Moroccan lamb pot pie that was amazing. read more

Can I live at Esh and eat three meals a day there? After numerous visits I believe I've sampled most of the menu. It is consistently, surprisingly, temptingly delicious, and I've not experienced less-than-attentive service. Gorgeous ambiance. It's absolute fire. read more

We attended the 3-course NYE Price Fixe event (had not visited before that). They seemed to have selections from their usual menu. All dishes were perfectly prepared and delicious. The dips and puffy flatbread, everyone raved about -hummus so creamy! Didn't really need appetizers after that...scallops and hamachi, branzini and salmon were our choices. The salmon was unusual wrapped in phyllo, and served with roasted veggies-fantastic. Service was attentive and it's a beautiful space. Very satisfying for super special occasion. Perhaps a bit too precious for common weekend meal. read more

Overall very good, vibe was good, not too loud. Service was a bit impersonal and slow, not a positive overall as it took a while to water and drinks. Flatbread was excellent, gem salad very good, tuna tartar was decent (a little small) but the ribeye shawarma was too heavy. Good initial few bits but overall too heavy. read more

OMG the food is unique and outstanding. Then, add that unique Mediterranean atmosphere which just embellishes your experience. The service is above average. Go early especially on a weekend to even get a reservation. We always order a variety of apps to try everything. There is an appetizer, Moroccan cigars, another OMG. The desserts are made on the premises. Go for one or two!! The food is not common, I'd suggest asking the server for recommendations if you are unfamiliar with Mediterranean food. Any beef or steak dishes are a YES. The owner is very charismatic and values his customers. He will make you happy if for some reason you're not but I doubt it! With all the choices around for dining nowadays, don't miss this. It's also fun with a group of friends. Throw your diet out the window it's worth every bite. Highly recommend. read more

It is hard to get a reservation here. You definitely have to plan ahead but definitely worth it! Our first time here we ended up sitting at the bar; great tapas and drinks!! read more

What an amazing experience at this restaurant. The food is incredible. We got some dips and the Esh burger and it was all high quality and extremely delicious. The service was wonderful, our waiter was very attentive and helpful with the menu. The owner came over to check on us and they brought multiple desserts for my birthday. Ambiance is fantastic as well. Very open concept, love the decor with the black and gold and greenery. Will definitely be back!!! read more

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Let me start with the best - our server was off the charts good. He was thoughtful, he explained everything, and organized our meal to come as we wanted it. The food was good - some was very good but some was just okay. We started with the garlic eggplant dip - delicious and the Aegean salad. Frankly we were full by then - the salad was huge and that with the bread, well we would have done better to skip the shared plates. The falafel was good not great - I prefer the ones I have had on the street in NYC, the Moroccan cigar just didn't do anything for me and I told my husband it was all his, the Waygu Shwarma buns - not very good I'm afraid. We really were full and didn't want dessert but our waiter brought us out a comped Grandma's biscuit cake. It was sooooo good. Not a cake at all - more of a pudding, whipped cream, I'm not sure what but delicious. My one warning would be the food is VERY filling - don't over order like we did - and most tables were splitting a main - don't order two - it's too much food. read more

Great setting, waitstaff (Mario) was terrific. Food was mixed as you need to hit 100% in this setting and they did not. Fresh flatbread bread from the oven with slathered with oil/ghee, great. Lovely babagaoush variable, terrific with roasted garlic. Squid, excellent, but could have used a sharper knife to cut ( or should it have been easier to cut...). What disappointed was the roasted cauliflower. Nice spicy salsa and great exterior color, but ..I expected a softer center and got the opposite (thankful for the serrated knife that clicked the plate as I cut it... oof). Suggestion to the kitchen, try parboil prior, let it sit and dry (and pre-cook), then slather with some EVOO and pop in that oven so you get that same nice color but with a softer fluffier center. ... Would be stellar. She wants to come back... so we come back.. read more

Great food, beautiful (metro) ambiance, service felt a bit rushed. would suggest at least four at a table to adequately share the many dishes sourced from Middle Eastern ingredients with Israeli, Lebanese and northern African influence. . read more

There are not enough strongly positive adjectives to describe our experience at Esh! WOW. All I can say is wow. First, this is definitely another review worthy of more than 5 stars. It is truly unmatched, one of a kind, and outstanding in every way- atmosphere, service, food, cocktails, even the music curated specially for Esh is truly a perfect accompaniment to this dining experience. I can't begin to do this amazing restaurant justice here with words. I encourage you to go and try Esh for yourself. But I will try to express our gratitude for our amazing meal and outstanding service. We had a fantastic sever who was helpful and accommodating. We chose some delicious cocktails which we enjoyed. We chose to sample some cauliflower hummus and tzatziki with their naan bread. The flavors!!! The bread was freshly fired, soft, chewy, bubbly and charred in a perfect way. We chose entrees that just can't compare to anything else we've ever eaten. The spices, pairings, flavor profiles- this is a fine dining , modern Mediterranean experience that everyone should have. We spoke with the manager, Christian, a few times. He was fabulous and explained a lot about Esh and its cuisine. We received a complimentary dessert which was an outstanding spiced sponge cake with fresh crema and edible gold flakes sprinkled over top. It was amazing. Esh is Hebrew for fire and I can tell you this name is very fitting for this absolute fire new restaurant. read more

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Worst restaurant experience in Fairfield county. Gary gave us great service. Food quality very poor. Flat breads had no flavor. We paid $9 for flat bread that was completely charcoal burned through. Could not believe they actually served it. Could not eat it. Burger was completely raw. Mngt did care. Would recommend everyone avoid this restaurant. read more

An absolutely stunning meal in a truly beautiful space, all of which made my wife and I shake our head multiple times during our dinner last night, wondering if we were actually still in Fairfield (and not NYC or Jerusalem or Beirut or some far-flung Greek island). It was the best meal I've ever had in CT (where I've lived since 2001), and that's with the minor service issues to be expected in a place that's only been open a few weeks. This will be very soon be recognized as one of the best restaurants in the state and the region, and reservations will be impossible to come by, so if nothing else, I'm just glad that we have the opportunity to really enjoy it before the madness. And yes, on our way out from our Tuesday-night meal, we made reservations for this Saturday night, without even a hint of shame. Spectacular from beginning to end--excellent drinks from a gorgeous front-of-house bar; a complimentary flatbread that offer one of my favorite bites of food in forever; starters and mains that were all near-perfect, and on and on. I still can't believe it's all in Fairfield...but I thank the heavens it is. read more

so, I've been to Esh twice now. The first time, I HAD to go because of all the hype...it lived up to those expectations! thrilling & electric vibe. ordered Branzino, & Lamb Neck--tasty, large portions (everyone was bringing home leftovers). Truly a NYC atmosphere. I felt hella sexy being there. I was determined to go back. The second time... well I guess the honeymoon is over. Oh, the food was still good, although portions not so large- we got Black Angus Ribeye & Salmon Baklava. Still enjoyed the cocktails, the pita bread, the desserts. Whatever you order will be delish and different than the usual small-town joints. But.... once I got past the awe of the newness & exciting urban setting, I started to notice things like-- it is VERY loud, due to acoustics, background music? I don't know, but my date & I had to shout during the entire meal. The food IS good, but $200+ good? or am I just being unreasonable? and from where we were sitting, my date faced the hallway where the restrooms were--not the best of views while eating. I'm not going to discourage anyone from going. it's a good time there. Probably not good for a first date, unless you don't mind shouting at someone you just met. Otherwise go, be loud, enjoy the drinks, and be prepared to open your wallet wide. and P. S. you NEED to make reservations! read more

I really enjoyed the food and the ambience, combined earn a 5 star rating. However drinks are small & overpriced, also they will not put any food orders through unless it's the full order. No apps to pick on while you decide on your entree. read more

Service was excellent and the food was even better. We will be back again and again and again...to work our way through the menu. Freshly made pitas hot out of the wood burning oven! It was that good and we live an hour or so away. read more

Excellent food, good service, expensive but worth it anyway! Decor is wonderful . Bar area is nice as well as the group table .

This was a phenomenal experience - the bread with the dips is to die for. The burger, lamb dish, and the fish dishes we tried were great as were the desserts. Can't say enough good things about this place. read more

Wow just wow. I never thought I'd find an impressive enough restaurant in CT to rate 5 stars until this moment. I came here with LRoth the other night. We had had a busy day traveling around for grad parties. We grabbed a late 845 PM reservation. Walking in, the music wasn't too loud but trendy as you'd expect for a lounge-like setting. Lighting was dim but not near pitch black. Decor was beautiful. Murals on the wall were done well. They had a column of trees in the middle of the restaurant, that added a nice touch of nature. It was busy and our server was apologetic (although no apologies were needed). We started with the hummus and garlic eggplant for dipping their courtesy bread. Hummus was ASTOUNDING. Smooth...creamy...flavorful. It's how hummus should be done. Garlic eggplant was also perfect. I liked it better than the baba since it was less smoky. We then tried the Moroccan cigar. The filling on that was amazing. The crab shawarma taco was so flavorful and filled with crab. We then tried the wagyu shawarma, which was a huge amount of meat. Tasted amazing. Parsley on top kept it so fresh. It wasn't heavy at all despite the amount of meat present. We also ordered the Arias burger. Holy moly...the flavor on this was fantastic. It was also cooked to a beautiful medium. The potatoes it was served with were so flavorful and light. Amazing crisp on the outside and fluffy inside. Our server Josh then aided us in choosing a dessert. Grandma's biscuit was like a super light mousse over a small bed of crumbs. Amazing balance between soft and crunchy. The knafe was a dream come true. Nice and sweet. Crispy. We've already got another reservation for the near future. read more

2 visits. First one was during open week, the food was excellent, but service really spotty. Was supposed to get a 'free" dessert and never received it. Second visit improved service, and food excellent. Comes out at a good speed, creative menu, a real fun twist on hummus. Would recommend. read more

Food is always great, as is the atmosphere. However, parking is awful. And Esh supposedly will validate parking, But when we went to use the validated ticket, it wouldn't work. Looked like we weren't the only ones with the issue. read more

This is a new place that just opened a few days ago. The food is excellent as well as the service. We had several appetizers, flatbreads and a tasty Wagu Shwarma. The staff is super attentive and poised to help. Going back next week with friends! read more

I took my girlfriend here to eat and this is the amazing place to go to. If you're ever in Fairfield please check this place out is 10 out of 10. read more

Overall a great experience. The ambiance is modern and cool. Service was excellent and the food delicious. Our server Nino was fantastic we asked for guidance with the menu and he was more than happy to assist. His recommendations were excellent. A very pleasant evening out. Make your reservation soon, this is going to be a hot spot. read more

Outstanding food and service in a beautiful and calm environment. The appetizers were amazing. We especially enjoyed the dips.